When Cleveland Browns' team captain Christian Kirksey, 27, was sidelined with a torn pectoral muscle after game two of the NFL season last September, he was in prime condition to make it through his operation and post-op recovery.

That’s because his offseason workout includes mind-boggling exercises that strengthen his back, abdominals, and arms. That kind of preparation helped him get reactivated for play on December 7.

But you don't have to be a professional athlete to bounce back quickly from an operation.

In the journal Surgery, University of Michigan researchers reported that "prehab," consisting of small lifestyle adjustments made 15 to 30 days before surgery, can cut your hospital stay by almost a third.

And their recent follow up study in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons found that 66% of patients who went through prehab were discharged to home, compared with 57% of those without the training.

So what are doctors recommending you do for prehab?

• Get moving. Add an hour of walking a day to your routine. Not possible? Try a stationary recumbent bike.

• Eat right. Eliminate highly processed foods, as well as red and processed meats. 

• Quit smoking. Anything you smoke dramatically increases your risk for surgical complications.

• Plan ahead. Don't let worries about your post-op care, family, finances, etc. derail recovery. Talk to friends, family, and your doctors about your concerns; work together to find solutions.

Remember, even professional athletes need help to bounce back from surgery.